Soo Eagles fall into 2-0 series deficit against Ironmen

SAULT STE. MARIE — After two games over the weekend, the Soo Eagles are down 0-2 and will be headed back to Jamestown in the best-of-5 NAHL North Division playoff finals.

Jamestown goaltender Joe Ballmer made 34 saves as the Ironmen shut out the Eagles 1-0 Saturday night in Game 2 at Pullar Stadium.

Elliot Tisdale scored the lone goal for the Ironmen, who took a 2-0 series lead.

Game 3 is scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday, May 2, at Jamestown, and Game 3 is Friday night, if necessary. If the series reaches Game 5, it would be in the Sault on Monday, May 6.

The North Division playoff winner advances to the Robertson Cup in Frisco, Texas, May 10-13.

Tisdale's goal, which was his first of the playoffs, as assisted by Victor Johansson and Brett Szajner at 6:25 of the second period.

Eagles goalie Tyler Marble finished with 32 saves.

The No. 1-seeded Eagles were 6-2 against the Ironmen during the regular season.

Jamestown, the No. 2 playoff seed, extended its winning streak to five straight games in the playoffs.

Ballmer owns a 1.20 goals-against average and .963 save percentage in the postseason.

Friday's game: Ironmen 6, Eagles 3

Fueled by a four-goal burst during a span of just under four minutes in the first period, the Jamestown Ironmen defeated the Soo Eagles 6-3 in Game 1 of the NAHL North Division playoff finals Friday night at Pullar Stadium.

The Eagles opened the scoring, as Brandon Adams netted his first goal of the playoffs 4:32 into the game, assisted by Sean Murphy and Jared VanWormer.

But the Ironmen tied the game on a power-play goal from Nico Sierra at 11:38 of the period. After a series of defensive breakdowns by the Eagles, the Ironmen followed with goals from Luc Gerdes, Evan Ritt and Daniel Cesarz to take a 4-1 lead into the second period.

The Eagles stormed back, as Adams and J.D. Controneo scored back-to-back goals within 13 seconds of each other in the opening minute of the second period.

Ritt netted his second goal of the game on the power play at 2:10 of the period as the Ironmen regained a 5-3 lead.

The Ironmen capped the scoring with a third-period goal from Ryan Urso.